president obama ready to take off the gloves, if the republicans want to fight. the president clearly stating two key demands during his first news conference, ever since winning re-election. the first on taxes and the fiscal cliff. >> but what i'm not going to do is to extend bush tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% that we can't afford, and according to economists, will have the least positive impact on our economy. >> the president also making clear that he has susan rice's back. that's his ambassador, the embattled u.s. ambassador to the united nations. initially she said that that september 11th attack on the u.s. consulate in benghazi began as a spontaneous protest against an anti-islam film. well, now two top-ranking republicans are vowing to block her nomination if, in fact, she is picked to be the next secretary of state. that had the president very anger. here's what he said. >> if senator mccain and senator graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me. >> white house correspondent dan lothian is in washington, d.c., this morning. let